Railway-signal.



No. 855,971. PATENTED JUNE 4, 1907.

G. G. PHILLIPS.

RAILWAY SIGNAL.

APPLICATION FILED we. e. 1906.

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PATENTED JUNE 4, 1907.

G. G. PHILLIPS. RAILWAY SIGNAL. APPLICATION rum) we. a. 1906.

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CHARLES C. PHILLIPS, OF OWEN SBORO, KENTUCKY.

RAILWAY-SIGNAL.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 4:, 1907.

Application filed August 6, 1906. $erial No. 329,470.

The signaling device as a whole, which may be installed on steam,electrical or other roads, embodies in its organization a signaling boxor casing containing a lamp and a pair of independently movablesemaphore blades included in a normally open circuit with the lamp andconstituting movable contacts through the medium of which the circuit iscompleted or broken, the blades being maintained in normal position,with said circuit open,by means of magnet controlled latch members andbeing adaptedto be returned to such position under the influence ofmagnets included in normally open track circuits including movablecontacts in turn operated by a car or other railway vehicle in itspassage over the track.

The invention has for its objects to provide a comparatively simple,inexpensive device of this character wherein a car approaching thesignal from either direction will, when at a determined point suitablyremote therefrom, operate the track devices for closing the appropriatecircuit to release the semaphore blade at the far side of the casing forpermitting movement of the blade to a position for signaling danger to acar approaching in the opposite direction, one in which the other bladewill be similarly released after the car has passed to a suitably remotepoint beyond the signal for giving proper warning to a succeeding car,and one wherein the appropriate circuit will be closed for energizingthe magnets to finally reset either or both of the blades upon arrivalof the car at a determined point beyond the signal.

A further object of the invention is to provide a device of this classwherein the semaphore blades will, when released, move automatically bygravity to danger position, one wherein the blades will, when in thelatter position, complete the lamp circuit for causing the lamp to glow,and one in which the blades are automatically returned to initial ornon-danger position and the lamp simultaneously extinguished on thepassage of the car out of the block. I

With these and other objects in view, the invention comprises the novelfeatures of construction and combination of parts more fully hereinafterdescribed.

In the accompanying drawings: Figure 1 is a vertical, sectional viewtaken centrally through a signaling box or casing containing a signalingmechanism embodying the invention and showing the normal position of thesemaphore blades. Fig. 2 is a similar view showing the semaphore bladesin danger position. Fig. 3 is a vertical, transverse section taken onthe line 33 of Fig. 1 and viewed in the direction of the arrow. Fig. 4is a similar view taken on the line 44 of Fig. 2, looking in thedirection of the arrow. Fig. 5 is a side elevation of a portion of arailway track, showing the circuit closing track devices. Fig. 6 is adiagrammatic view showing the various circuits. Fig. 7 is a diagrammaticview of a signal to be ar ranged in the engine cab.

Referring to the drawings, 1 designates a signaling box or casing,referably mounted on the upper end of a tubular post or standard 2 whichmay be planted at a suitable point within the course of and adjacent toa railway track 3, there being mounted at the center ofthe casing 1, theside walls of which are provided with segmental openings 4, a transverseshaft 5 on which is journaled a pair of independently movable signalingmembers or blades 6 adapted to normally stand in raised or non-dangerposition, as seen in Fig. 1, and to move automatically by gravity to asubstantially horizontal or danger position for covering respectivelythe openings 1.

Fixedly mounted in the casing at a point in rear of the shaft 5 is atransverse pintle 7 on which is fulcrumed a pair of latching members orbars 8 having their forward ends which are suitably weighted providedwith engaging portions or hooks 9 adapted for engagement with keepers inthe form of inwardly projecting pins 10 fixed on the blades 6 forholding the latter in normal position,

there being provided on the rear portions of the members'8, which arepivoted at a point between their ends, armatures 11 designed to be actedupon. by electro-magnets 12 sustained within the casing for moving thelatching members to releasing position, the movement of the members toengaging posi tion being limited by stops 13 with which the rear ends ofthe members contact.

The blades 6 are provided with depending portions or extensions 14carrying inwardly projecting armature bars 15 adapted to be acted uponby electro-inagnets 16 mounted in the casing for returning the blades toinitial non-danger position, there being also fixed in the casing a lamp17 included in a normally open duplex'lamp circuit containmg a pair offixed contact pieces 18 disposed respectively in the path of the blades6 and for engagement by contact pieces 19 carried by the latter to closethe circuit and light the lamp when either of the blades is in dangerposition.

The magnets 12 are each connected by a wire 20 with a battery 21 and bya second Wire 22 with a pair of relatively spaced, fixed. contacts 23disposed on the track 3 at a point beyond and suitably remote from thesignal device, there being arranged between each pair of fixed contacts23 a vertically disconnected by a wire 25 with the battery and having apair of oppositely projecting contact portions 26 arranged to cooperaterespectively with the contacts-23 for closing the circuit through thewires 20, 22 and 25 to energize the corresponding magnet 12, it beingnoted in this connection that the sets of contacts 23 and 24 are sodisposed on the track that when one of the contacts 24 is moved forcompleting its circuit the far magnet 12 will be energized, thus tooperate the appropriate latch 8 for releasing the semaphore blade 6 atthe far side of the casing 1 relative to the direction in which the caris approaching.

The magnets 16, which are connected by a wire 27, are included in anormally open circuit comprising a wire 28 leading from one of themagnets to the battery 21 and a pair of wires 29 comiected with theother magnet and each leading to a pair of fixed relatively spacedcontacts 30 disposed on the track 3 at a point beyond and suitablyremote from the signal, there being arranged between each pair of fixedcontacts 30 a verticallydisposed pivoted track lever 31 connected by awire 32 with the battery and having a pair of oppositely projectingcontact portions 33 arranged to cooperate respectively with the contacts30 for closing the circuit through the wires 27, 28, 29 and 32 toenergize both magnets 16, thus to reset both or either of the blades 6.It will be noted in this connection that the sets of contact 30 and 31are disposed on the track at points beyond and remote from the sets ofcontacts 23, 24, whereby a car traveling in either direction willoperate one of the contact levers 31 before reaching the adjacentcontact lever 24 and the other lever 31 after passing the second lever24, for a purpose which will presently appear.

The lamp 17 is, as before stated, included in a normally open duplexcircuit which is formed by wires 34 leading respectively from the blades6 to one of the wires 25 for connection with the battery, a wire 35leading from one of the contacts 18 to one of the wires 28 in turnconnected by the other wire 25 with the battery, and a wire 36 connectedin the wire 35 to lead through the lamp and having connection through abranch wire 37 with the other contact 18, the lamp circuit, which isnormally open, being adapted to be closed through the medium of eitherof the blades 6 when moved to danger position.

In practice, as a vehicle traveling on the track 3 approaches the signalin either direction, say, from the right, the right-hand contact member31 will be operated for contact with one of the pieces 30, therebyclosing the circuit through the magnets 16 and setting either or both ofthe blades 6. As the vehiole continues to advance the contact meni- Iber 24 will next be actuated for closing the posed, movable contactmember or lever 24 circuit through the left-hand magnet 12, thusactuating the adjacent locking member 8 to release the correspondingblade 6 and signal danger to a car or train which may be approachingfrom the opposite direction, or, that is, from the left. After the carhas passed the signal the other member 24 will be operated for closingthe circuit through the other magnet 12, thus releasing the second blade6 for signaling danger to a car or train which may be following thefirst car. Finally in passing out of the block, the other member 31 willbe actuated for completing the circuits through the magnets 16 andresetting the signals. When either of the blades 6 is released and dropsit will, owing to engagement of its contact piece 19 with the adjacentcontact 18 complete one of the circuits through the lamp 17, therebylighting the lamp, which will continue to glow until the blade or bladesare reset under the action of one of the contact members 31, as beforeexplained.

Arranged in the engine cab is a signal bell 38 included in a normallyopen circuit 39 which includes an annunciator arm 40 sustained upon awooden-base 41 and constituting a movable contact adapted forcommunication with a contact piece 42 to close the bell circuit.Included in a second, normally open circuit 43 is a magnet 44 adapted tooperate a latch member 45. by which the annunciator arm 40 is heldnormally out of engagement with the contact 42, while arranged on thetrack 3 at a point remote from the signal station is a contact piece 46adapted to connect with. contact pieces 47 for closing the circuit 43.When the engine enters the block at either end the adjacent contact 46will, through connection with contacts 47, close circuit 43, thusenergizing the magnet 44 to operate the latch 45 for releasing theannunciator 40, whereupon the arm 40 will move downward into contactwith piece 42,

thus closing the circuit 39 and sounding the bell 38, which willcontinue to ring until the arm 40 is manually returned to normalposition.

While I have described the signal as being equipped with a lamp 17, itwill be understood that in some instances, and particularly inconnection with street railway circuits, a bell may be substituted forthe lamp.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is l. A signalingsystem comprising a pair of normally open circuits, a pair ofindependently movable signaling blades included respectively in saidcircuits, magnet controlled means for holding the members in normalposition, track devices for closing the circuits to separately energizethe magnets and release the blades, a normally open duplex lamp circuitadapted to be closed through the medium of either of the blades whenrescribed comprising a normally open circuit including a lamp and amovable contact member for completing the circuit to light the lamp, alatch member arranged for holding the contact member in normal positionwith the circuit open, a second normally open circuit including a magnetadapted to be energized, said magnet when energized being adapted tooperate the latch member for releasing the movable contact andpermitting the latter to close the first named circuit, automaticallyoperable track devices for closing the second circuit, a third normallyopen circuit including a magnet adapted when said third circuit isclosed to be energized and reset the movable contact member, andautomatically operable track devices for closing the third circuit.

In testimony whereof, I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

CHARLES C. PHILLIPS. Witnesses:

A. S. ANDREWS, T. F. HAYs.

